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I did this once three years ago, and didn’t get time to do it again in the past two years.

This year the knitting club at work will be participating, so I am in! Coworker found this pattern from Allicrafts (click here) and I love it. I made 2 trying out the pattern differently, using Caron Simply Soft.

First one, I used 5mm crochet hook, and follow the pattern until round 4. I did purple and pink yarn alternatively.

Round 1 (use purple yarn): Make a magic ring, ch 3 (as part of the first cluster), then yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the magic ring, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step once. You should end up with 3 loops on the hook. Yarn over and draw the yarn through all 3 loops on the hook, chain 2. The first cluster is completed. *yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the magic ring, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step twice. You should end up with 4 loops on the hook, chain 2.* Now you finished the 2nd cluster. Repeat from * 3 times. Pull magic ring tight. sl st to top ch of ch 3, sl st in next st, sl st in ch-2 space. (5 clusters)

Round 2 (change to pink yarn): This round you will make 2 clusters in each ch-2 space, making 10 clusters. Ch 3 (as part of the first cluster), then yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the ch-2 space, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step once. You should end up with 3 loops on the hook. Yarn over and draw the yarn through all 3 loops on the hook, chain 2. The first cluster is completed.. In the same ch-2 space, *yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the magic ring, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step twice. You should end up with 4 loops on the hook, chain 2.* Now you finished the 2nd cluster. Repeat from * twice in each ch-2 space. sl st to top ch of ch 3, sl st in next st, sl st in ch-2 space. (10 clusters)

Round 3 (purple): This round you will make 2 clusters in first ch-2 space, then 1 cluster in next ch-2 space alternatively, making 15 clusters. Ch 3 (as part of the first cluster), then yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the ch-2 space, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step once. You should end up with 3 loops on the hook. Yarn over and draw the yarn through all 3 loops on the hook, chain 2. The first cluster is completed.. In the same ch-2 space, *yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the magic ring, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step twice. You should end up with 4 loops on the hook, chain 2.* Now you finished the 2nd cluster. The next ch-2 space you will only make 1 cluster, so repeat from * once. Then repeat from * twice in next ch-2 space, then once until the end. sl st to top ch of ch 3, sl st in next st, sl st in ch-2 space. (15 clusters)

Round 4 (pink): This round you will make 1 cluster in each ch-2 space, making 15 clusters. Ch 3 (as part of the first cluster), then yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the ch-2 space, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step once. You should end up with 3 loops on the hook. Yarn over and draw the yarn through all 3 loops on the hook, chain 2. The first cluster is completed.. In the next ch-2 space, *yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the magic ring, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step twice. You should end up with 4 loops on the hook, chain 2.* Now you finished the 2nd cluster. Repeat from * in each ch-2 space till the end. sl st to top ch of ch 3, sl st in next st, sl st in ch-2 space. (15 clusters)

Round 5 (purple): This round you will make 2 clusters in first ch-2 space, then 1 cluster in next 2 ch-2 space, then repeat the same process, making 20 clusters. Ch 3 (as part of the first cluster), then yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the ch-2 space, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step once. You should end up with 3 loops on the hook. Yarn over and draw the yarn through all 3 loops on the hook, chain 2. The first cluster is completed.. In the same ch-2 space, *yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the magic ring, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step twice. You should end up with 4 loops on the hook, chain 2.* Now you finished the 2nd cluster. The next 2 ch-2 space you will only make 1 cluster, so repeat from * once. Then repeat from * twice in next ch-2 space, then once in next 2 ch-2 space until the end. sl st to top ch of ch 3, sl st in next st, sl st in ch-2 space. (20 clusters)

Round 6 (pink): This round you will make 1 cluster in each ch-2 space, making 20 clusters. Ch 3 (as part of the first cluster), then yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the ch-2 space, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step once. You should end up with 3 loops on the hook. Yarn over and draw the yarn through all 3 loops on the hook, chain 2. The first cluster is completed.. In the next ch-2 space, *yarn over (yo), insert the hook into the magic ring, yarn over, draw the yarn through the stitch, yarn over, draw the yarn through 2 loops on the hook. Two loops remain on the hook. One half-closed double crochet is complete. A half-closed stitch is one that’s only worked partway, and then finished at the end of the combination. Repeat the preceding step twice. You should end up with 4 loops on the hook, chain 2.* Now you finished the 2nd cluster. Repeat from * in each ch-2 space till the end. sl st to top ch of ch 3, sl st in next st, sl st in ch-2 space. (20 clusters)

Round 7-11 (purple): Loosely sl st around in back loops only. (60 st)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Then I tried 5.5 mm crochet hook, following the pattern without changing anything, using pink and grey yarn alternatively. It turned out about the same size as what I did with the purple/pink one.

Which one do you like better, color/pattern wise? Stay tuned since I will be trying out different patterns when working on this project. 🙂

We got a chair from IKEA and I thought it would be handy to make a pouch to put remote controls (for TV and cable box) in. Here’s the chair that I am making the pouch for.

This is the finished look as your sneak peek:

As you can see from the photo, the total length will need to include the fold-down part when you measure. So I used tissue paper (the largest paper in the house I can use) to make the sample as I measured, to set the length/width for my crochet project. Mine is 11″ x 19″.

I used 2 skeins Caron Simply Soft (Color: Bone) that I got from Michael’s together to make the finished project more sturdy. For crochet hook, I used the 6mm hook.

Back Panel:

Chain 41.

Row 1: Counting from the 3nd chain from hook, I made 1 half double crochet in each chain across, then chain 2 at the end and turn. – 38 stitches

Row 3: Make 1 half double crochet in the first two stitches, *chain 2 and skip 2 stitches (to make the hole), 1 half double crochet in each of the next 6 stitches*. Repeat * 4 times, then chain 2 and skip 2 stitches, and then 1 half double crochet in each of the last 2 stitches, chain 2 and turn. – 38 stitches.

Row 4: 1 half double crochet in the first two stitches, *2 half double crochet in the 2-chain space, and then 1 half double crochet in the next 6 stitches*. Repeat * 4 times, then 2 half double crochet in the last 2-chain space and 1 half double crochet in the last 2 stitches, chain 2 and turn. – 38 stitches.

Row 5: half double crochet across. – 38 stitches.

Repeat Row 5 until you reach the length you need (mine is 19″). When you finish the last row, do not cut because you will continue to make the pouches.

Now you can put your remote control(s) on to measure the size for the “pouches”. I am using double crochet for the 3 pouches I will be making to do a contrast look from the half double crochet of the back panel. I made 3 pouches for my 3 remote controls. Out of the 38 stitches across, first pouch will take 12 stitches, middle pouch 14 stitches, and third pouch 12 stitches.

Left Pouch:

Row 1: back loops only, make 1 double crochet in each of the first 12 stitches, chain 3 and turn. – 12 stitches

Row 2: double crochet across. – 12 stitches.

Repeat Row 2 until you reach the height of your preference. I ended mine in Row 7.

Row 8: single crochet across to make the edge. – 12 stitches

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Middle Pouch:

Row 1: back loops only, start from next stitch after the end of the Row 1 of the Left Pouch, slip stitch and chain 3 (that counts as 1 double crochet), make 1 double crochet in each of the next 13 stitches, chain 3 and turn. – 14 stitches (including the 3 chain you made at the beginning).

Row 2: double crochet across. – 14 stitches.

Repeat Row 2 until you reach the height of your preference. I ended mine in Row 7 (to align with my left pouch)

Row 8: single crochet across to make the edge. – 14 stitches

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Right Pouch:

Row 1: back loops only, start from next stitch after the end of the Row 1 of the Middle Pouch, slip stitch and chain 3 (that counts as 1 double crochet), make 1 double crochet in each of the next 11 stitches, chain 3 and turn. – 12 stitches (including the 3 chain you made at the beginning).

Row 2: double crochet across. – 12 stitches.

Repeat Row 2 until you reach the height of your preference. I ended mine in Row 7 (to align with my left pouch)

Row 8: single crochet across to make the edge. – 12 stitches

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Now you can flip the pouches up and sew the 2 sides and 2 middle lines together. Add your buttons, weave in all ends and you are done!

Spring has been procrastinating and seems nowhere nearby, but I guess I could speed it up a little bit by making some fruit coasters to feel the summer earlier. I’ve made a set of 6 for the Knitting Club Fundraising. All of them are using the same pattern pretty much, except changing yarn colors. I innovated my pattern from Christine Longe’s Green Apple Coaster pattern as well as Tessa Shearer’s Summer Watermelon Coaster pattern.

R1: Chain 2 (counted as 1 double crochet) in magic ring, and then make 11 double crochet. Join with slip stitch to top of chain 2, then chain 2 (as the next round’s first double crochet) – 12 stitches.

R2: Work 1 double crochet in the same stitch where you chain 2, then work 2 double crochet into each double crochet gap. Join with slip stitch to top of chain 2, then chain 2 (as the next round’s first double crochet) – 24 stitches.

R3: Work 2 double crochet in next stitch. *Work 1 double crochet in next stitch, 2 double crochet in next stitch.* Repeat * 11 times. Join with slip stitch to top of chain 2, then chain 1 (as the next round’s first half double crochet) – 36 stitches.

R4: Work 1 half double crochet in next stitch, work 2 half double crochet in next stitch. *Work 1 half double crochet in next 2 stitches, work 2 half double crochet in next stitch.* Repeat * 11 times. Join with slip stitch to top of chain 2, then chain 2 (as the next round’s first double crochet) – 48 stitches.

Seeds for apples/watermelon (optional): Use Black Yarn to sew accordingly. (See photo for placement.) Fasten off and weave in ends.

Leaf for apples: Use green yarn, Chain 9, work 3 dc in 4th chain from hook, 1 double crochet in next 2 chains, 1 half double crochet in next chain, 1 single crochet in next chain, 1 slip stitch in last chain. Go on the other side of the chain and repeat in a reverse order: slip stitch in first chain, 1 single crochet in next chain, 1 half double crochet in next chain, 1 double crochet in next 2 chains, 3 double crochet in last chain (where the first 3 double crochet were made). Fasten off, sew in apple coaster and weave in ends.

Stem for apples: Use brown yarn, chain 10, from 2nd chain from hook, work 1 single crochet in each chain. Fasten off, sew in apple coaster and weave in ends.

When I sold my first project- the ear warmer, the associate dean passed by and asked if we would make and sell any items for men. And he said he would be interested in a basket ball hat. You name it, I make it. Here’s what I made for him:

I used Bernat Premium Yarn (Color: Royal Blue) that I got from Walmart for the blue, and used scrap yarns left from my previous projects for the orange and white.

And here’s the pattern that I made up based on an NBA tuque that I found in google:

I have been trying to redo the piano chair cover (here’s my previous one done a few years ago) using Granny Rectangle, and finally I found out how to do so from Crochet Again’s post: A Better Granny Rectangle.

In the 6th chain from the hook, make 3 double crochet. Skip 2 chains, and then make 3 double crochet in the next chain. Continue across, when you reach the last chain, make 1 double crochet, and then chain 3 (count as 1 double crochet).

Insert your hook (see picture below) into the gap between the last 3 double crochet clusters and the last double crochet you made the 3 chains on top of, and make (in this gap): 2 double crochet, chain 3, 3 double, chain 3, 3 double crochet.

You have just made 2 corners:

Then make 3 double crochet in each gap in between the 3 double crochet clusters

When you reach the end (see picture below), insert your hook in where the arrow pointed,

and make 2 corners there: 3 double crochet, chain 3, 3 double crochet, chain 3, 3 double crochet. And then you again make 3 double crochet in each gap in between the 3 double crochet clusters.

Until you reach the end, slip stitch into the top of the beginning chain 3.

I want to have the clusters tighter together, so I modified the pattern a little bit. Instead of making 3 chains for the corners, I only make 1 chain in between the 3 double crochets.

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So once you reach the length & width of desire, you can stop making corners and just make 3 double crochet across in between the clusters. Once you reach the height of desire, you can just fasten off. Here’s the finished project (20″ x 14″ x 3″):

For the butterfly and rose leaves, I used some scrap yarn that I have left from my previous projects.

To begin, I chained 17 (for my iPhone 6S).

Starting at the 2nd chain from your hook, do half double crochet across on each of the 16 chains.

Continue with half double crochet for the other side of your chain, that will make another 16 half double crochet. So you will have a total of 32 half double crochet as an oval/rectangle shape. I used a stitch marker to mark my first stitch because I will be working in continuous rounds (instead of joined rounds with a joining mark in the finished piece).

Do half double crochet for another rounds until 2/3 of the height of your phone with 32 half double crochet each round. Mine ends in row 10.

The next round (Row 11 of mine) will be changing to the first color (for the butterfly or leaves depending on which one you would like to do). MyPicot has very good instructions on how to do the butterfly with antennas : Crochet Butterfly Stitch. The position of the rosebud with leaves or butterfly will be up to you. I will show below how I did the rosebud with leaves.

Join green yarn and single crochet in the first 8 stitches, and now starting to make the 2 leaves: chain 3

Insert your hook from back to front into a half double crochet below (like the picture below) and make 1 single crochet. Where you insert the hook will be the where the tip of the leaf (left one) be positioned. To make the leaf, in the 3 chain space, you make 1 single crochet, 1 half double crochet, 3 double crochet, 1 half double crochet, 1 sc.

To make the other leaf, chain 3, and then insert your hook from back to front again in a half double crochet that’s 3 stitches from where you positioned the left leaf and make 1 single crochet. Now repeat what you did for the left leave: in the 3 chain space, you make 1 single crochet, 1 half double crochet, 3 double crochet, 1 half double crochet, 1 single crochet. Then continue making single crochet across to the end of the row.

Next round (row 12 of mine) you join pink yarn and single crochet in the first 8 stitches, and now starting to make the rosebud: chain 12, 3 double crochet in the 4th chain from the hook, and then 3 double crochet in each of the remaining 8 chains, chain 3, slip stitch in last chain. Turn and roll spiral together from one end, rolling towards the other end. Form strip together into a rosebud shape. Insert hook through bottom side of rose and sew all layers of the rosebud making slip stitch. Repeat this slip stitch process one more time, chain 1 and turn. Then continue making single crochet across to the end of the row.

Join grey yarn and repeat the half double crochet across process until you reach the height you need. You should still have 32 half double crochet each round. Mine is from row 13 to row 23.

Row 24 (to make the wristlet hole and strap): chain 45 (making the strap), skip 5 half double crochet (make sure the 5 you are skipping are in the center of the cozy), single crochet in the next 11 half double crochet, chain 5, skip 5 half double crochet (make sure the 5 you are skipping are in the center of the other side of the cozy), single crochet in the last 11 half double crochet.

Row 25 (to make the wristlet hole and strap thicker/stronger): make half double crochet in each of the 45 chain, single crochet in the next 11 single crochet, make 5 half double crochet in the 5 chain space, single crochet in the last 11 single crochet.

Fasten off and sew in ends. Here’s the completed rosebud wristlet:

Thank you for reading and hope you have fun making this beautiful cozy. Comments are welcome.

I recently joined the newly formed knitting club at work and we decided to crochet/knit small items that we can sell at work to raise funds to donate to a charity. Here’s the first project I did for the club from one of the patterns I mentioned in my previous post (or click here), and it’s sold immediately!